ODJ: say “L” for love
March 23, 2011
So commit yourselves wholeheartedly to these words of Mine. . . . Teach them to your children (11:18-19).
READ: Deuteronomy 6:6-23
Most moms scold their kids for sticking their tongues out, but not me. I encouraged my son to do this when I was teaching him how to pronounce the letter “L.” Like many toddlers, every time he tried to make the “L” sound, it came out sounding like a “W.” Although my heart melted every time he said, “I wuv you, Mommy,” I realized that it was my job to teach him the right way to speak.
As Christian parents, it’s our job to teach our kids the right way to live. God spoke through His prophet Moses as He urged the Israelites to teach His laws “again and again to [their] children” (Deuteronomy 6:7). They were instructed to keep them highly visible in their homes as reminders (vv.8-9).
Like the Israelite parents, we have to do more than just help our kids memorize a list of divine do’s and don’ts. Moses said, “Your children will ask you, ‘What is the meaning of these laws, decrees, and regulations?’” (v.20). We have to explain God’s laws so that our kids will be able to live them out. We’re supposed to talk about God’s rules when we’re at home, on the road, going to bed, and getting up (v.7).
The Israelites were to tell their charges about how God had rescued them from slavery, about His signs and wonders, and about His provision of land (vv.22-23). For, as Moses said, “Your children . . . have never experienced . . . [God’s] greatness and His strong hand” (11:2). We too need to share the firsthand experiences we’ve had with God’s grace and power.
Our children need to know what God’s Word says, what it means, and what it looks like in the world around them. Then they’ll be able to “do what is right and good in the Lord’s sight” (6:18). —Jennifer Benson Schuldt
Why is it important for you to take responsibility for your children’s knowledge about God? How have you been discussing God and His commands with your children?
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